Developing and fixing tank for photographic films.



G. HANLON. DEVELOPiNG AND FIXINGTANK FOR-PHOTOGRAPH() FILMS.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 7.11916.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

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G. HANLON.

DEVLOPING AND FIXING TANK FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS. APPLICATION m50 FEB. 7. 1915.

Patented Oct. 16, i917.

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GEORGE HANLON, OF SHAWNEETOWN, ILLINOIS.

DEVELOPING AND FIXING TANK'FOR( BHOIOGRAYHIG FILMS.

Application led February 7, 1916.

enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings', forming part of this specification.

My invention relates generally to photography and more particularly to a tank for developing, washing and fixing roll films.

Thefpri'ncipal object of my invention is to provide a comparatively simple apparatus with which roll films can be easily and quickly developed and fixed, said apparatus being very compactso that it will occupy comparatively little "space when packed for transportation and which apparatus is provided with means which will'permit the developing, the fixing and the washing operations to be practised in daylight, thereby doing away with the 'necessity of a dark room in whichto completely finish the developinent of the films.y y

A further object lof my invention is to provide a film carrier, or holder, with means which` support the film in proper position while the same is in the tank and which supporting means can be readily unfolded or swung outward `from the holder in order to facilitate the removal of said film from said holder. n

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement Vof parts, hereinafter more .fully described,

claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- KFigure 1 is a vertical section taken through the'center of a kdeveloping and fixing tank of my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the film holding frame removed from the tank, said frame being inclosed within a flexible light- .".proof sleeve or cover.

"`jjFig3 is a plan view of the tank, a portion thereof being in horizontal section and the light-proof covering removed.

"Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the film carrier with parts thereof swung outward into position t0 facilitate the removal.

of the film.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

Serial No. 76,596.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the upper portion of my improved tank.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a modified form of the film carrier.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 10 designates the body of a container or tank preferably constructed of sheet metal, the upper portion 11 of which is slightly enlarged, and there being a horizontal shoulder 12 formed between the body and said enlarged upper portion.

The upper portion of one of the walls of the enlarged upper end 11 is cut away to form an opening 13.

The film holder or carrier which is removably positioned in tank 10 comprises a rectangular box-like structure 14, preferably formed of sheet metal and depending from the end portions thereof are legs 15 preferably formed of sheet metal.

Formed in the bottom of the member 14 and between the legs 15 is an opening 16, and supported by the end walls of member 14 immediately above the center of this opening is a rod 17 upon which is loosely mounted a roller 18,.

Removably positioned in the upper end of member 14 is a box 19, preferably of sheet metal, and extending upward from the center thereof is a funnel shaped member 20, through which the developing and the fixing solutions are poured when delivered into the tank.

' Formed in the bottom of the box 19 and near the ends thereof are openings 21, and located within said box between these open- Y ings and the lower end of the funnel 20 are transversely disposed baffle plates 22, which are for the purpose of preventing light from passing between the open lower end of funnel 20 and the openings 21 while the tank is in use. y

n The upper portion of one of the side walls of the box 14 is cut away to accommodate the corresponding side of box 19 and arranged at the lower side of this cutaway portion is a pair of strips 23 of flexible material such as felt and the space between these strips servesas anL opening through which the paper backing strip of the film and the cords which draw the film over the film carrier or holder pass when the film is imwound from the spool.

Pivotally connected by means of rivets 24 tothe lower portions of legs 15 are swinging legs 25 and connected to the ends there.-

of by means of a rod 26 is a second pair of swinging legs 27.. The ends of this last mentioned pair of legs are connected by a rod 28 upon which is mounted a roller 29. Loosely mounted upon rod 26 is a roller 30.

Fixed to legs 15 near their upper and lower ends are the lower. ends of spring arms 31 and fixed to the outer ends of corresponding pairs of these springs are horii zontally disposedy rods 32.

Vhen the film holder or carrier is positioned in the tank, these rods bear directly against the inner faces of the side walls of tank 10, asseen in Fig. 1 and when said film holder is removed from the tank these rods move outward under the influence of the springs to holdthe flexible light-proof cover away from the legs 15 and the unrolled film which is carried between said le s.

lirranged between the lower' ends of legs 15 are rods 33 and loosely mounted thereon are rollers 34.

A flexible light-proof cover 35 in the form of an elongated sleeve or tube is adapted to be used in connection with the tank and when terial, which are for the purpose of preventing the'eoveivfrom collapsing and striking against the'film when the film holder or carriage is elevatedy from the tank, which action is necessary for the change of solutions necessary for the proper development of the film. Y v Y l At a point onthis sleeve or cover, when positioned on said carrier immediately below the lower end of the legs 15 isy a` drawingstring 35 to be used to close the sleeve below the end of the film holder or carriage,

when it is elevated above the end of tank -10 ztoexelude the light from vthe film when the lower end ofr the sleeve is detached from the tanklO- as shown inFig. v2..

The numeral 37- designates the used spool or cartridgeupony which theV photographic film 38 and the usual-light excluding lback ingstrip. 39 `are wound. v The means utilized 'for pulling the film in `position von the yholder v or carriage as the film is unwound' comprises .a suitable gripper 40, the jaws ofwhich are adapted to engagezthe free end ofthe film andattached to each end of said gripper 40 isa cord 41.-.

` In ,the use of my iin-proved developingT and fixing tank the various parts thereof into the funnel 20 anda legs. The lower portion of said are assembled in the relative positions seen in Fig. 1, with the roll of film to be developed located within box 14 to one side of roller 18.

Before the film spool or cartridge is positioned within box 14 the paper backing is unwound until a short piece of the free end of' the film is'v exposed. The jaws of the gripper 40 are then firml attached to said end of the film, the end o the backing strip is passed under roller 18 and thence'out through opening 23, and the cords 41 are passed down through the opening 16 in bottom of box 14 and the spool or cartridge is dropped into position in box 14. The free ends of cords 41 are pulled down immediately adjacent to legs 15 under rollersl 34, thence up and over roller 30, thence down and under roller 29, thence up through opening' 16 in bottom of box 14 and out through the opening between the flexible strips 23, with the backing strip.

After the cords and backing strip are thus arranged and the film holder positioned in the tank, the operator enga es theY outer ends of' cords 41 and the en of-the back strip and pulls on said cords and backing strip simultaneously and as a result the film is unwoundvfrom lthe spool 37 and said film 1s drawn downward beneath rollers 34, thence upward over roller 30, thence downward beneath roller 29, and thence upward to a point near upper roller .30, and as a result the entire Ylength of the film or so much thereof as the operator may desire to develop is inf position for the action of the developing and fixing solutions.

Vhen' the film is in position onf the holder or carrier, the developin solution is poured r passing throu h the spaces between baffle plates 22, Sald solution dischargesV through apertures 21, and pa-s'sesthence through opening 16 down along the folds of the film into the body of the tank 10, thus subjecting every part of the film to the action of the fluid at practically the same moment.

Thefiexible cover 35 is secured to the lower end of funnel 2O asshown in Figs. l and 2 and when the film has been left in the developing solution therequired len h of time, the operator then lifts the film older comprising members 14 and 19 andl parts carried thereby from the tank 10-until the lower ends `of legs 15 are in a plane above the top of saidtank and the bod of the flexible cover is now broughttoget er and tied at a pointbeneath the lower endsofsaid n y I cover may now be disengaged fromtank 10. i.

Thus,y the upper 1 portion. of' the cover wholly incluses the film holder and excludes the'light from the film and while in this condition, the rings 36 and spring-carried rods 32 prevent the flexible cover from com- 4ing iny contact with-the film which is supported between legs 15.A

The film thus inclosed within the flexible cover may be lproperly washed by permitting ruiming water to flow freely through the funnelQO over the film, or it may be placed in a larger vessel of water.

In positioning the film holder in the tank to complete the development of the film, the lower end of the sleeve or cover is put over the upper end Vof tank 10 and securely fastened, afterl vwhich the tie is removed from the central portion of the flexible cover and the film holder is again positioned within the tank.r

The fixing and subsequent washing operations are similar to the developing operations.

After the fixing operation has been concluded, the upper end of the cover is detached from funnel 2O and dropped down over the tank and the film holder is now removed from said tank.

After the film is developed and fixed it can be readily removed from the holder by swinging the legs 26 and 27 outward into position seen in Fig. 4 and disengaging the gripper from the two cords, which will permit the film to be removed from the holder to be dried in any suitable manner.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 6, the folding legs 25 and 27 are dispensed with and the film when unrolled extends from the spool downward around a single roller 42 located between the lower ends of legs 15 and thence upward to a point near the top of tank 10.

lVhere this construction is employed, the tank is necessarily much longer than the formof tank which utilizes folding legs.

My improved developing tank is comparatively simple, can be made very compact so as to occupy little space when packed for storage or transportation, and eliminates the necessity for a dark room or the like in which to perform the developing and fixing operations.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved devel- Y oping tank can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

v1. In a developing tank, the combination with a tank body, of a roll film carrier removably positioned in said body, pivotally connected folding legs on said carrier, rollers on said legs, and means for unwinding the film and drawing the same around the rollers on said legs.

2. In a devel-oping tank, the combination with a tank body'of a roll film carrier removably positioned in said body, pivotally connected folding legs on said carrier, rollers on said legs, means for unwinding the film and drawing the same around the rollers on said legs, and a flexible light-proof cover adapted to be secured to the film carrier and to inclose the same when withdrawn from the tank.

3. In a developing tank, the combination with a tank body, of a roll film carrier removably positioned in said body, pivotally connected folding legs on said carrier, rollers on said legs, means for unwinding the lm and drawing the same around the rollers on said legs, a flexible light-proof cover adapted to be secured to the film carrier and to inclose the same when withdrawn from the tank and means on said cover and on the flexible carrier for preventing said cover from contacting with the lm when the carrier is removed from the tank.

+L. In a developing tank, the combination with a tank body of a roll film carrier removably positioned in said tank body, means pivotally mounted on said carrier for supporting the unwound film, and a flexible light proof cover adapted to be secured to.

the film carrier for inclosing the same when it is removed from the tank.

5. In a developing tank, the combination with a tank body, of a roll fillncarrier remo vably positioned in said tank body, means pivotally mounted on said carrier for supporting the unwound film, a flexible light proof cover adapted to be secured to the film carrier for inclosing the same when it is removed from the tank, and a plurality of rings secured to the body of said cover for holding the same in extended condition.

6. In a device of the class described, a tank, a roll film holder removably positioned in said tank, resilient members projecting outwardly from both sides of said filmholder for engaging the walls of the tank and holding said holder in a central position within said tank, pairs of pivotally connected legs hinged to said film holder, and film supporting rollers loosely mounted on said legs.

7. In a device of the class described, a tank, a roll film holder removably positioned in said tank, pairs of pivotally connected legs hinged to said film holder, film supporting rollers loosely mounted on said legs, and a flexible light-proof cover' adapted to be connected t-o the tank and to the film holder for inclosing the same when removed from the tank.

8. In a developing tank, the combination with a tank body, and a film carrier removably positioned therein, of a flexible cover adapted to be secured to the carrier and tank for inclosing said carrier when the same is removed from the tank and means for preventing the holder from coming in contact e with lthe carrier and the film carried thereby connected to said legs, and means for un- When said carrier is removed from the tank. rolling the film and drawing the same 9.In a developing tank, a tank body, a around said film supports. i roll film holder removably positioned there- In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my 15 5 in, a pair of legs forming a part of said signature in the presence of two Witnesses,

film holder, and folding film supports pivthis 19th day of January, 1916. otally connected to said legs.

l0. In a developing tank, a tank body, a GEORGE HANLON. roll film holder removably positioned there- Witnesses: 10 in, a pair of legs forming a part of' said EARL GALLOWAY, film holder, folding film supports pivotally FAY E. JENKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

